Ice cube making machine



April 1l, 1961 D, BQLLEFER 2,978,882

ICE CUBE MAKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 24, 1959 F'JG. I 8

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

FIG. 2

/5 INV ENTOR.

.Dw/GHT L. .BoL/.EFER

.A T TORNEYS April Il, 1961 D, BOLLEFER 2,978,882

ICE CUBE MAKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 24, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fifa. 53

INV ENTOR. DWIGHT L. .BQLLEFER .AT TORNEYS United States Patent ICE 'CUBE MAKING MACHINE Dwight L. Bollefer, 1308 Riverside Ave., Minneapolis 4, Minn.

Filed Sept. 24, '1959, Ser. No. 842,111

6 Claims. (Cl. 62-,347)

My invention relates generally to ice block making machines, and more particularly to improvements in such machines of the type wherein water is sprayed into freezing cells to cause said cells to gradually become filled with ice to form ice blocks.

It is well known among those skilled in the art, that during the freezing process, a layer of water tends to force minute particles of foreign matter toward the uncongealed area. In the producing of ice blocks by spraying water into inverted cup shaped refrigerated cells or molds having open bottoms, said particles or impurities, as they are forced toward the surface, are washed away by the continuous stream of liquid sprayed into the cells. While this method results in the formation of ice blocks that are free of air bubbles and quite transparent, said continuous stream of liquid impinging on the ice forming in the cells retards the freezing process, and necessitates refrigeration apparatus of greater freezing capacity than is otherwise required.

An important object of my invention is the provision of a machine for making ice blocks, which requires a minimum of time to produce a harvest of ice blocks that are transparent and free of air bubbles and foreign matter.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an ice block producing machine having novel means for preventing over-concentration of chemical salts in the liquid from which such blocks are produced.

The apparatus of my invention involves refrigeration mechanism including a plurality of inverted freezing cells arranged in a row, the freezing cells being inverted to have substantially closed tops and open bottoms, and means for repeatedly directing a stream of water into said cells in succession, so that each cell receives a plurality of applications of liquid until all of the cells are filled.

The above, and still further highly important objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims, and attached drawings. y

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate the invention, and in which like reference characters represent like parts throughout the several views: i

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of an ice block making machine built in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in rear elevation;

IFig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view partly in plan and partly in horizontal section, taken substantially on the irregular line 4 4 of Fig. 3, on a reduced scale;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail in section, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary detail taken substantially on the line 7--7 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view in bottom plan as seen from the 1ine 8-8 of Fig. 3.

Patented Apr. 11, 1961 rice Referring with greater detail to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a generally rectangular frame having spaced caster equipped legs 2, a generally rectangular top frame section 3, and a generally rectangular bottom frame section 4, the latter of which supports conventional refrigeration apparatus including a motor driven compressor 5, a condenser 6, and a blower 7 for the condenser 6. The refrigeration system further includes an evaporator 8 comprising a plurality of evaporator coils 9 that are suitably connected to the compressor 5 by means of conduits 19 and 11, a control element 12 interposed in the conduit 11, and other well-known control elements, not shown. The refrigeration apparatus may be of any well known and readily available type, and in itself does not comprise the instant invention. Hence, for the sake of brevity, further showing and description thereof is omitted.

A housing 13 is mounted on the top of the frame 1 and comprises front and rear walls 14 and 15 respectively, side walls 16 and 17, and a bottom wall 18. Adjacent its upper end, the housing 13 is provided with an inwardly projecting peripheral flange V19 which supports a freezing mold Ztl that comprises a plurality of rows of inverted freezing cells or cups 2.1, see Figs. 3 and 8. Each of the cells 21 are preferably cross sectionally rectangular, hav ing top walls 22 and downwardly diverging side walls 23, the top walls 22 being provided at their central portions with air passages or apertures 24. The cells 21 are preferably made of heat conductive metal, and are preferably welded or otherwise secured together to provide a unitary construction, the evaporator tubes 9 being likewise welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the side walls 23 of the cells 21 to provide for maximum heat temperature conductivity therebetween, The downward divergence of the side walls 23 permits the ice cubes formed in the cells 21 to be readily harvested, and the apertures 24 admit atmosphere to the upper ends of the cells 21 whereby to break any vacuum which might otherwise deter the formed cubes of ice from dropping out of the cells 21 during harvesting of the cubes. An insulating member 25 defines a marginal skirt around the open bottoms of the several freezing cells 21, said member 25 being formed of low K-factor material, to prevent ice from forming between the open lower ends of the cells 21., and contines the freezing to the interior of the cells 21.

A pair of horizontally disposed guide rails 26 are Welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the interior surfaces of the side walls 16 and y17 in downwardly spaced relation to the freezing mold 20, and support` and guide the oppoiste ends of an elongated tubular spray head 27 for sliding movements between the front and rear walls 14 and 15, within the chamber dened by the housing 13, said chamber being indicated by the numeral 28. Preferably, and as shown in Figs. l and 6', the opposite end portions of the tubular spray head 27 are provided with button like gliders 29which rest upon and slide over the guide rails 26. The spray head 27 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced nozzles 3i), having apertures 31 for directing liquid from the spray head 27 upwardly toward the several rows of freezing cells Z1. An apron 32 underlies the spray head 27 and extends the entire width of the chamber 28, being rigidly secured at its opposite side edges to adjacent ones of the side walls 16 and 17. The apron 32 further extends rearwardly from the front wall 14, terminating in forwardly spaced relation to the rear wall 15 in a depending skirt 33 which cooperates with the rear end portion of the bottom wall 18, lower end portion of the rear wall 15 and adjacent portions of the side walls 16 and 17 to define a sump or liquid reservoir 34, see Figs. 3, 4 and 7. A conventional fluid pump 35 is preferably mounted in the reservoir 34,

and is provided with a uid inlet pipe 36 which receives liquid from the bottom portion of the reservoir 34, and an outlet 37 that is connected to the spray head 27 by suitable means including a .flexible hose or the like 33 connected to an inlet iitting 39 adjacent one end 'of the spray head 27, see lig.y 4. The. pump 35 is direct coupled to a conventional drive motor, indicated at 46;' With reference particularly to Fig. 7,' it-will be seen that iiquid, such as water, indicated by the reference character X, is admitted to the reservoir 34 from a suitable source of supply, not shown. A valve 42 communicates with the conduit 41, and is mounted on the rear wall of the housing 13, the valve 42 being controlled by the level of water X in the reservoir 34 through the medium of Ya iioat 43 and a bell crank lever 44 that is pivotally secured to a mounting bracket 45 on Vthe rear wall 15.

In orderrthat water be sprayedequally to all of the freezing cells 21V in each forwardlyand rearwardly extending row thereof, from the spray head 27, I provide novel means for imparting reciprocatory movements to the spray head 27 longitudinally of said rows of cells, or between the front and rear walls 14 and I5. A cylindrical shaft i6 overlies the apron SZ below the spray head 27 within the chamber 28 and extends in parallel relation to the side walls 16 and 17, opposite end portions of the shaft 46 being journalled in bearings 47 and 4S rigidly mounted on the respective front and rear walls '14 and 15. The rear end portion of the shaft 46 extends rearwardly through the bearing 48 and is coupled to the drive shaft 455 of a conventional speedk reduction mechanism, not

shown, but which is contained within a housing 50 rigidly secured to a drive motor 51 that is mounted on the rear Wall 15 of the housing 13. The shaft 46 intermediate the bearings 47 and '48 is provided with a pair of radially outwardly opening helical cam-acting channels 52 and 53 that are pitched in oppoiste directions and that are intera connected in inwardly spaced relation to the bearings 47 and 4-8, as indicated at 54. A blade-like cam follower shuttle'55 is slidably received in one of the channels 52 and 53, and is provided with a generally cylindrical shank 56 that is journalled in a bracket 57 rigidly secured to the central portion of the spray head 27, see particularly Fig. 5. As rotation is imparted in one direction to the shaft 46, by the motor 51, the shuttle 55 is moved, by its engagement with said one of the helical channels 52 and 53 toward one end of the shaft 46, carrying with it the bracket 57 and spray head 27. When the shuttle 55 reaches one end of the engaged channel, the shuttle moves through the adjacent interconnecting portion 54 into the oppositely pitched one of the channels 52`and 53, whereby to cause the bracket 57V and spray head 27 to be moved in the opposite direction. Thus, the spray head 27 partakes of reciprocatory movement between the front and rear walls 14 and 15 respectively.

Assuming that the motors 40and 51, together with the refrigerating apparatus,rare in operation, the water X is sprayed upwardly from the spray nozzles 36 into the. freezing cells 21 as the sprayhead 27 moves from one end of the chamber 28 to the other thereof, whereby to coat the inner wall surfaces of the cells Z1 with water. The speed of reciprocatory movement of the spray head 27 is such that a succeeding stream'of water is sprayed into each freezing cell of a given row thereof before the preceding spray has entirely congealed. It will be appreciated that freezing of each layer of Vwater sprayed into the freezing cells 21 occurs inwardly from the inner wall surfaces of the cells 21. Hence, impurities, such as minute particles of mineral salts suspended in the water are moved toward the uncongealed inner portions of the freezing water in each cell, these particles being flushed away from the cells 21 during succeeding sprays. Thus, as the cells 21 graduallybecome filled with ice due to repeated passes of the spray head 27 thereunder, the ice blocksformed thereinaresubstantially free of said par- 4 ticles and of air bubbles, and possess a high degree of transparency.

For the purpose of harvesting the ice cubes or blocks formed in the freezing cells 21, I provide a generally rectangular grill or grid 58 comprising a plurality of laterally spaced parallel rods or bars 59 connected at their opposite ends by transverse members 60 and 61, see particularly Figs. 3 and 4. As shown in Fig. 3, the grid 53 slopes downwardly toward the front wall 14, the rear transverse member 61 being supported in brackets 62 secured to the rear wall 15, and the front transverse member 60 being supported by similar brackets 63 secured to the front wall 14 slightly above the bearing 47. The front wall 14 is formed to provide a discharge opening adjacent the front end of the grid 58, said opening being normally closed by a exible curtain or the like 64. When it is desired to harvest the ice box or cubes, the freezing cycle is terminated, and the evaporator 8 is defrosted in the usual manner, to warm the wallsV of the freezing cells 21, permitting the ice cubes to drop therefrom onto the grid 518. The forward and downward slope of the grid '58 causes the cubes to slide forwardly to the exterior of the housing 13 to a storage container or the like, not shown. Preferably, the freezing and defrosting cycles are automatic, the controls therefor being conventional and not comprising the instant invention. Hence, showing and description of said controls is omitted.

In view of the fact that, during the freezing cycle, the above mentioned minute particles of foreign matter are being rinsed away from the ice cubes by the water sprayed thereon, the water X in the reservoir 34 tends to receive an over-concentration of such particles of foreign matter. In order to overcome this over-concentration of foreign matter in the water X, I provide a collector tray 65 which is secured to the rear wall 15, and which may be partially or almost totally closed by a pair of sliding covers or the like 66. Preferably, the covers 66 are each provided with an opening 67 by means of whichthe covers 66 may be moved longitudinally of the tray 65 or removed therefrom altogether. spray head 27 moves to the rear end of the chamber 28, during reciprocating movement of the spray head, a portion of the water forced upwardly through the nozzles 301 will drop into the collector tray 65. A discharge conduit 68 communicates with the collector tray 65 through a fitting 69 which extends through the rear wall "15 of the housing 13, and conducts the water from the tray 65 to a suitable drain, not shown. With this arrangemenLI have been able to maintain the water X in the reservoir 34 at a relatively low concentration of said particles of foreign matter, without the use of an excessive amount of fresh water from the source of supply.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the objectives set forth; and while I have shown and described a commercial embodiment of my device, it will be understood that the same is capable of modilication without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, as-

liquid upwardly through said spray head aperture, means mounting said head to direct said liquid through said aperture in a spray toward said row of cells in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the row of cells and for movements of said head longitudinally of said row of cells, means for imparting said movements to the spray head, whereby said spray head makes a plurality of passes under all of said freezing cells in succession, each succeed- It will be appreciated that, each time the.

` ing pass of said spray head under a given cell being made prior to total congealing of the liquid sprayed thereinto during a preceding pass of the spray head thereunder, and means for harvesting the ice blocks when said freezing cells are filled.

2. In a machine for making ice blocks, a substantially straight row of inverted freezing cells having substantially closed top walls and open bottoms, refrigeration apparatus including an evaporator for refrigerating the Wall surfaces of said cells to cool liquid received therein, a spray head having an upwardly directed discharge aperture in underlying spaced relation to said row of cells, pump means for forcing liquid upwardly through said spray head aperture, means mounting said head to direct said liquid through said aperture in a spray toward said row of cells in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the row of cells and for reciprocatory movements of said head longitudinally of said row of cells, means including a motor and reversing mechanism to impart said reciprocatory movements to said spray head, whereby said spray head makes a plurality of passes under all of said freezing cells in succession, each succeeding pass of said spray head under a given cell being made prior to total congealing of liquid sprayed thereinto during a preceding pass of the spray head thereunder, and means for harvesting the ice blocks when said freezing cells are filled.

3. in a machine for making ice blocks, a substantially straight row of inverted freezing cells having substantially closed top walls and open bottoms, refrigeration apparatus including an evaporator for refrigerating the wall surfaces of said cells to cool liquid therein, a spray head hav- 1 ing an upwardly directed discharge aperture in underlying spaced relation to said row of cells, pump means for forcing liquid upwardly through said spray head aperture, means mounting said head to direct said liquid through said aperture in a spray toward said row of cells in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the row of cells and for reciprocatory movements of said head longitudinally of said row of cells, an elongated cylindrical shaft defining a pair of interconnected helical cam acting channels pitched in opposite directions, a cam follower shuttel journalled in said spray head and having a portion received in said channels to impart said reciprocatory movements to said spray head responsive to rotation of said shaft in a given direction, means including a motor and reversing mechanism to impart said reciprocatory movements to said spray head,v whereby said spray head makes a plurality of passes under all of said freezing cells in succession, each succeeding pass of said spray head under a given cell being made prior to total congealing of the liquid sprayed thereinto during a preceding pass of the spray head thereunder, and means for harvesting the ice blocks when said freezing cells are filled.

4. In a machine for making ice blocks, a housing dening a spraying chamber having a liquid reservoir at its bottom, a row of inverted freezing cells having substantially closed top and open bottom-s and mounted in the upper end of said chamber, refrigeration apparatus including an evaporator in the upper end of the chamber for refrigerating the wall surfaces of said freezing cells made to cool liquid received therein, a spray head having an upwardly directed discharge aperture in underlying spaced relation to said row of cells, pump means for removing liquid from said reservoir and forcing said liquid upwardly through said spray head aperture, means mounting in a spray toward said row of cells in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the row of cells and for movements of said head longitudinally of said row of cells, means for imparting said movements to the Spray head, whereby said spray head makes a plurality of passes under all of said freezing cells in succession, each succeeding pass of said spray head under a given cell being made prior to total congealing of the liquid sprayed thereinto during a preceding pass of the spray head thereunder, means for delivering a fresh supply of liquid to said reservoir, a liquid collector tray mounted in said chamber and disposed to receive a portion of the liquid delivered from said spray head during each said pass thereof under a given one of said cells, and means for harvesting the ice blocks when said freezing cells are filled.

5. The structure defined in claim 4 in further combination with a movable baflie element overlying said collector tray for regulating the quantity of liquid received in said collector tray from said spray head.

6. In a machine for making ice blocks, a housing defining a spraying chamber having a liquid reservoir at its bottom, a plurality of substantially straight parellel rows of inverted freezing cells having substantially closed tops and open bottoms mounted in the upper end of said chamber, refrigeration apparatus including an evaporator in the upper end of the chamber for refrigerating the Wall surfaces of said freezing cells to cool liquid received therein, an elongated spray head extending across said chamber in underlying spaced relation to said rows of cells and transversely of said rows, said spray head having a plurality of longitudinally spaced upwardly directed discharge apertures, one each spaced under each row of cells, pump means for removing liquid from said reservoir and forcing said liquid lupwardly through said discharge apertures, means mounting said spray head to direct said liquid through said apertures in a plurality of sprays one each toward its respective row of cells in a direction generally lperpendicular to the plane of the rows of cells and for reciprocatory movements of said head longitudinally of said rows of cells, means for imparting said reciprocatory movements to said spray head, whereby said spray head makes a plurality of passes und-er the several rows of said freezing cells longitudinally of said rows to spray liquid into the cells of said rows thereof in succession, each succeeding pass of said spray head under a given cell of each row being made prior to total congealing of the `liquid sprayed thereinto during a preceding pass of the spray head thereunder, a liquid collector tray disposed in said chamber adjacent one end of the limit of travel of said spray head in one direction of r'eciprocatory movement thereof for reception of a portion of the liquid delivered from said spray head during said reciprocatory movement thereof, and means for harvesting the ice blocks when said freezing cells are filled.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,413,060 Roberts Apr. 18, 1922 2,467,933 Gruhn Apr. 19, 1949 2,674,858 Magnuson Apr. 13, 1954 2,682,155 Ayres June 29, 1954 2,722,110 Denzer Nov. 1, 1955 2,729,070 Ames Jan. 3, 1956 2,892,323 Woodmark June 30, 1959 

